Sled.



1 Patented Sept. l2, I899.

, w. A. HARTMAN.

SLED.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1899.]

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

\VILLIAM A. HARTMAN, OF

PATENT Erica.

MAYBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SLED.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 633,085, dated September12, 1899. Application filed January 9; 1899. Serial No. 701,651. (Nomodel.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. HARTMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mayburg, in the county of Forest and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleds; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to sleds, and the purpose of the improvedconstruction is to facilitate level-surface propulsion and provideincreased advantages in coasting; and it consists of the constructionand arrangement of parts in general and detail, as more fullyhereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sledembodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ofthe improved device. Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation showing the mannerof adjusting a portion of the device.

Referring to the drawings wherein similar numerals are utilized toindicate corresponding parts in the several views, the numeral 1designates a bed forming a seat or rest and having a front reduced end 2for free straddle movement of the limbs of the occupant.

At the front termination of said end 2 a socket or head 3 is secured ata proper angle, and a steering-post 1 is rotatably mounted therein andextends above and below the said bed. To the lower end of said post afront steeringrunner 5 is movably connected by a knuckle 6 and has afree action to compensate for the inequalities of the traversed surface.The upper end of the post has a handle-bar 7 secured thereto andsupplied with suitable grips, the said bar standing over the fore partor frontreduced end 2 of the bed a sufficient distance for convenientengagement and operation. A short distance above the runner 5 atransverse foot-bar S is secured to the post 4 and serves as a rest forthe feet of the occupant while coasting.

The rear part of the bed 1 has braces 9 depending therefrom andconverging toward opposite knuckles 10, in part carried by rear runners11, to movably attach the latter and also allowthem to conform tosurface inequalities. The front ends of said runners are tied, and theusual supplemental braces and strengthening devices can be appliedwhenever desired.

The device as thus far described embodies a construction uniform in allthe figures of the drawings, and to the-front end of the steering-runner5 a rope or analogous device 12 is attached to draw the sled over alevel or ordinary surface.

the occupant sits on the bed 1 and places his feet on the foot-bar S;The handle-bar 7 may be grasped and used to assist in steering on device12 will in this instance be sufficient for this purpose owing to thedraft thereon. In coasting, the rope or analogous device 12 is drawn upto the handle-bar, and the latter is operated to guide the runner 5' andsafely direct the course of the sled.

In a rear lower part of the post 4: or the brace therefor a crank-shaft13 is mounted, on which is fixed a sprocket-wheel 14 and opposite cranks15, which have pedals 16 secured thereto. The crank-arms and pedals arefar enough to the rear and laterally confined to such an extent as notto interfere with the use of the f cot-bar 8. Depending from the rearunder part of the bed 1 between the braces .9 is a containingguide-hanger 17, having a spring 18 therein and freely movable. In thelower part of said guide the bearing member 19 of a shaft 20 is mounted,and the lower end of said spring directly bears thereon. On the saidshaft 20 is keyed a sprocket 21, attached to or forming a part of atoothed propelling-wheel 22. A chain belt engages the sprocket-wheels 14and 21, and by operating the crank-shaft 13 the said propelling-wheel isrotated and the teeth thereof caused to strike and bite into the snow orice over which the sled is to travel, and an effective means offorwardly moving the said sled by the occupant is thereby provided.During the propulsion of the sled by the mechanism set forth it can bereadily guided or steered, and the wheel 22, through the medium of thespring 18, resting on the shaft 20, automatically rises and falls tocompensate for unevenness of the traversed surface.

In using the sled supplied with the propelling mechanism for coastingpurposes it will In the use of the device as thus far disclosed a levelsurface, though the rope or analogous be necessary to-elevatc the wheel22 to free the teeth thereof from the surface to avoid a drag orimpediment and a possible breakage. To accomplish this, the bearing 19of the shaft 20 is pressed upwardly against the spring 18 in theguide-hanger 17, and a strong pin 23 is inserted in openings 24 in thehanger for the purpose, and the said bearing 19 rests on said pin, andwheel 22 is thereby maintained in an elevated position until the pin iswithdrawn from the openings 24. The pin is attached to the hanger inconvenient position by a chain or analogous device 25 and is easilyoperated in the manner stated.

Changes in the proportions, dimensions, and minor details can be madefor various applications and utilizations without departing from thenature or spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is- In asled, the combination of a bed, having rear movable runners and a frontsingle steering-runner, a crank-shaft at the front part of the bcdhaving cranks and pedals and a sprocket-wheel thereon, a oontainableguidehanger depending from the rear part of the bed, and having openingstherein, a spring freely movable in said hanger, a rear shaft having abearing mounted in said hanger and bearing against said spring, asprocket-wheel on said latter rear shaft, a chain belt running from thesprocket-Wheel on the said crankshaft to that on the rear shaft, atoothed propelling-Wheel on said rear shaft, and a pin carried by aflexible connection to bed and adapted to be removably inserted in theopenings of the hanger to hold the rear shaft and parts carried therebyin elevated position to clear said toothed wheel from operative surfaeecontact.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIAM A. HARTMAN. [r.. s.]

lVitnesses:

THOMAS J. BRUCE, WILLIAM RICHARDS.

